Okay a little background. We live in a 2 bedroom apartment... I am in clincals 25 hours a week and I work weekends in our leasing office. We have a three and a half year old son and DH works full time with long hours. He also does side projects on the side for extra income.

What has me feeling bad is that DH wants to have a cleaning service come in and do a cleaning... I do as much as I can every day but I'm also not going to not do things with my son because I have to clean. I have a MUCH cleaner home than alot of SAHM's I know and I take great pride in keeping it at least "picked up". He's mentioned this several times and I know most people would be THRILLED to have this done for them but it really has me bugged. Am I being to sensitive? SHould I just enjoy it and let them come? Anyone been where I am?

By Mommyathome on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 05:21 pm:

Enjoy it!!! Once every couple of months I have a lady come in and clean. She really deep deep cleans *everything*. (washing down walls, handscrubbing floors etc.) I keep up on it in between.
The only thing she doesn't help with is the laundry. I do that on my own.

It will give you that extra time you want to spend with your DS!

By Emily7 on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 06:02 pm:

Christy if you don't want the help tell DH to send a maid to my house. I think that he is in his way acknowlegding that he knows you have a full plate & wants to help you by dong this.

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 06:24 pm:

Oh, please, accept and enjoy. And don't, don't, don't clean for the cleaning woman. I think the only thing you need to do is have several bags or boxes for them to put things in that they don't know where to put. Label each container as to what kinds of things should go in it.

And enjoy. If your dh was criticizing your housework, he would be on your back as to why you don't keep house the way his mother did. He is recognizing that neither of you has the time or energy on top of everything you both do, and is offering a way to have a clean house for both of you to enjoy at the cost of some money instead of time and energy you don't have. Wish my ex had felt that way.

By Andi on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 06:57 pm:

If you don't want it I'll take it!!!

I say go for it and enjoy it.

By Amy~moderator on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 07:55 pm:

Robin - how much does that type of thing cost - a one time deep cleaning? I would love to do that!

By Mommyathome on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 08:14 pm:

Amy, she is usually here about 4 hours. She charges $10.00 an hour.
We are in a small area, so I'm sure it is more in larger places. I knew a lady that had this service done every couple of months, so I asked her who she had do it and how much $$ etc. That is how I found this specific person.

It's definitely worth the money to me. If I averaged it out it would be about $5 per week. Or, less than a dollar a day!
And, I don't like to do all the gross stuff like cleaning out the oven and fridge and behind the washer and dryer LOL.
It makes it so much easier for me to keep things clean in between her visit. If something is gross, I tend to put it off. This way, things are kept clean and I can keep up on them easier.

By Colette on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 08:24 pm:

Christy, I am the same way. Dh saw how much time I spend cleaning and offered to get a maid, but I am just not comfortable having a stranger clean my house.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 09:10 pm:

Ditto Andi, if you don't want it, send it here!!!!! I'll gladly take it. :-)

By Tink on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 09:13 pm:

I would love to have a cleaning woman but I would still be a bit insulted if my DH offered to get one. I would accept but I can understand where you are coming from. If you don't want one, just tell your DH that you think you feel you're taking care of it well enough. If you do want it, accept it in the spirit it was offered and enjoy the extra time.

By Cocoabutter on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 09:22 pm:

Men like us to be direct, so if you approach him in a nice way at a good time, you can ask him what gave him the idea.

Just like Ginny said, tho, if he wasn't happy with the way you clean house, he'd have said something to that effect. Maybe he's hoping that if you don't have to clean as much, you'll have more time for him, too!

By Conni on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 10:32 pm:

Yes, you are being too sensitive. You DESERVE the help. It's ok really! You DESERVE it!! You are WORTH it. You dont have to do it all. You are doing enough.

Your dh sounds very thoughtful. ^5 to him!

By Nicosmom on Monday, September 27, 2004 - 11:57 pm:

At first I might have taken it wrong too, but you do have a full plate and I'm sure dh realizes this. I would love someone to help me with cleaning. Robin that sounds like a great idea!

By Lauram on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 09:45 am:

Oh- take him up on it! I think he's just offering to HELP! Cleaning services are AWESOME. It gives you more time to spend with your child!

By Fionadeassis on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 10:12 am:

I am so jealous .......!

Trust me-if he was unhappy with the job you were doing around the house he would be complaining-not offering you some help.

I would kill to have someone come clean my house. My Aunt and Uncle told me that as soon as my house gets really bad I can phone a maid service for a really good clean and charge it to their Visa(that was their shower present for me). I haven't done it yet because I have never had maid service and I feel kind of guilty about calling.

fionaf